By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
A Shortlist Is Expected on May 17
Established in 2016, the Klaus Flugge Prize, based in the United Kingdom, was founded by the publisher who set up Andersen Press in 1976. He promoted many of today’s most distinguished illustrators including David McKee, Tony Ross, Satoshi Kitamura, Ruth Brown and Susan Varley. Previous winners of the Klaus Flugge Prize include Eva Eland, Jessica Love, and—just last year—Joseph Namara Hollis.
The award, issuing its longlist just over two weeks before the start of the 2023 Bologna Children’s Book Fair, is intended to honor a “newcomer to picture book illustration and aims to put picture book illustration in the spotlight.” Needless to say, among its many awards, the 60th annual Bologna’s huge Illustrators Exhibition competition does that, too, at the scale of the world industry’s first major trade show of the year.
The Flugge Prize is expected to issue a shortlist on May 17, with a winner to come in September. The award is funded personally by Hamburg-born Klaus Flugge, now 89, and run independently of Andersen Press, according to a statement on its site. In the past, it has carried a purse of £5,000 (US$5,967) for its winner, though this year’s media messaging seems not to refer to a financial component beyond its reference to Flugge’s funding.
Jurors this year include last year’s winner, Hollis, as well as Lydia Monks; Sarah McConnell; and Urmi Merchant.
Klaus Flugge Prize 2023 Longlist
One of the most attractive features of the Klaus Flugge Award is its inclusion of credit for editors as well as illustrators and writers.
- Cheesed Off! by Genevieve Aspinall, written by Jake Hope, editors Kieran Baker and Hazel Holmes, designer Amy Cooper, (UCLan Publishing)
- John Agard’s Windrush Child by Sophie Bass, written by John Agard, editor Megan Middleton, designer Beth Aves (Walker Books)
- Lost in the City by Alice Courtley, editor Elaine Connelly, designer Izzy Jones (Orchard Books)
- Mildred the Gallery Cat by Jono Ganz, editor Cherise Lopes-Baker, designer Roanne Marner (Tate)
- That’s Nice Love by Owen Gent, editor Victoria Miller, designer David Rose (Book Island)
- Our Story Starts in Africa by Jeanetta Gonzales, written by Patrice Lawrence, editor Emma Roberts, designer Zoe Tucker (Magic Cat Publishing)
- How to Make a Book by Patricia Hu, written by Becky Davies, editor Becky Davies, designer Ella Tomkins (Little Tiger)
- Flooded by Mariajo Ilustrajo, editor Lucy Brownridge, designer Karissa Santos (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)
- Alcatoe and the Turnip Child by Isaac Lenkiewicz, editor Harriet Birkinshaw, designer is Ivanna Khomyak (Flying Eye Books)
- Through the Forest by Yijing Li, editor/designer Holly Tonks (Lantana )
- The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage, editor Maria Tunney, designer Ines Amaral (Walker Books)
- Valentine’s Guest House by Sam Sharland, editor Sue Baker, designer Annie Kubler (Child’s Play International)
- Saving the Butterfly by Gill Smith, written by Helen Cooper, editor Denise Johnstone-Burt, designer Louise Jackson (Walker Books)
- The Missing Piece by Beth Suzanna, written by Jordan Stephens, editor Lara Hancock, designer Goldy Broad (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
- Daddy Do My Hair: Beth’s Twists by Chanté Timothy, editors Melissa Gitari and Helen Mackenzie-Smith, designer Emily Hearn (Simon and Schuster)
- The Baker by the Sea by Paula White, editor Ruth Symons, designer Genevieve Webster (Templar Books)
More than 40 books were submitted by 25 publishing houses for consideration this year. Walker Books seems to be dominant, with three longlistees. More independent publishers on the list include UCLan, Lantana, Child’s Play, Flying Eye, and Book Island.
More from Publishing Perspectives on book and publishing awards is here, more on children’s books is here, and more on illustration and illustrators is here.